Psychology PhD

Psychology PhD

Studying for a PhD in Psychology

“Our PhD students are a key part of our research environment and community.”

Undertaking a programme of supervised research over 4 years (full-time; 6 years part-time), you will have the opportunity to develop new ideas, make an original contribution to knowledge in your field of interest, and advance world-leading projects.

Throughout your PhD, you will be closely supported by your supervisory team, including a Director of Studies (primary supervisor) and one or more additional supervisors, who will be experts in their field and meet with you on a monthly basis (bi-monthly, if part-time) to review your progress and to provide you with advice, guidance and support.

You will also undertake a research training programme and development opportunities relevant to your research, and enjoy the camaraderie and support of our growing community of over 30 Psychology PhD students.

Each of our PhD students has the opportunity to showcase their work at our annual Psychology PhD conference. Here you will be able to practice presenting your work in a welcoming and supportive atmosphere, as well as learn more about the research of your PhD student colleagues. The Psychology PhD conference is usually held in July each year. If you are interested in becoming a PhD student with us, and would like to attend the conference to find out more about the broad range of topics studied at doctoral level and to speak to our current PhD students, please contact Dr Tamara Turner-Moore at t.turner-moore@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.

Requirements to apply

You will need to have been awarded a relevant undergraduate honours degree at upper second or first class level. Ideally, you should also have a relevant Masters degree or other research experience.

How to apply

When you apply for the PhD, you will be asked to provide a research proposal. We strongly recommend that you approach a potential supervisor in advance of writing your research proposal to discuss your ideas and to confirm that your proposal is within their area of interest and expertise.

To learn more about what our current PhD students are researching, please click here. To identify a potential PhD supervisor for your proposal, please click here to see our expert staff. Information on how and when to apply, and the application form can be found here.

Once the University Research Office has checked that your application is complete, it will then be considered by our Psychology team. When considering your research proposal, we will take into account the originality and viability of your proposed research, as well as whether we are able to provide appropriate supervision and resources.

What we offer

We offer some fully-funded PhD studentships, typically for specified topics or projects, and also Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) positions, where you have the opportunity to undertake a fully-funded PhD studentship alongside salaried teaching on our BSc (Hons) Psychology programme. To check for current funded PhD opportunities, please click here. If you are applying for one of our GTA positions, and you have any relevant teaching experience (within your paid or voluntary work experience to date), you should outline this experience in your application. We also welcome applications from self-funded PhD students. For information on our fees, please click here.

How long does studying for a PhD typically take?

The maximum duration of a PhD is four years full-time (six years part-time). This includes a year for writing up your research, examination and conferment of the award. You will be assessed via a thesis (of up to 100,000 words) and a viva voce (oral examination). You will also be expected to submit a portfolio of the research training and development opportunities that you have undertaken throughout your PhD. For FAQs about PhD studentships, please click here.